Steamtown

https://www.nps.gov/stea/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steamtown_National_Historic_Site Steamtown National Historic Site is a railroad museum and heritage railroad in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the site of the former Scranton yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W). The museum is built around a working turntable and a roundhouse that are largely replications of the original DL&W facilities; the roundhouse, for example, was reconstructed from remnants of a 1932 structure. The site also features several original outbuildings dated between 1899 and 1902. You'd feel heat from the firebox, smell hot steam and oil; you'd hear the whistle, feel the ground vibrate, and watch as one-ton drive rods turned steel wheels. Remember the sound of "chuff-chuff" from the smokestack? Today, you can learn the history of steam railroad transportation, and the people who built, repaired and rode, as we work to preserve a special era in America's industrial history! Our GPS coordinates are: N 41.410730 (latitude), W 75.671329 (longitude) using our Park entrance, Lackawanna Ave at Cliff St, 18503 General Driving Directions: Take I-81 to exit 185. Continue onto President Biden Expressway (formerly known as Central Scranton Expressway) and follow signs to Mifflin Ave. Turn left onto Mifflin Ave. Turn right onto Lackawanna Ave. Turn left onto Cliff St (Park entrance). Visitor Center and Park Store The Visitor Center at Steamtown NHS is currently closed due to long-term repairs on building systems and utilities. Please visit a ranger at the Information Kiosk to learn where to go and what to do. When you're done, head next door to the Park Store located in the historic Oil House for your passport stamp. Our park entrance is located on Lackawanna Avenue at Cliff Street (just to the right of the new Lackawanna County Intermodal Center) in downtown Scranton. Our GPS coordinates are: +41.410730 (n-latitude), -75.671329 (w-longitude). You may also try using 350 Cliff Street with ZIP Code 18503 when using a GPS unit. This should bring you to Steamtown's parking lot. 6039 on the turntable large black train with number 6039 painted in white lettering, sitting on turntable track No. 6039 sits on the turntable within Steamtown's Roundhouse complex Pennsylvania Box Car and Lackawanna Caboose Black and yellow diesel engine 514 pulling a faded red box car and a dark red caboose Nickel Plate Road No. 514 can often be seen moving cars around in the rail yard at Steamtown National Historic Site. Here, it can be seen pulling a Box Car and Caboose. Steam Locomotives Historic Baldwin Locomotive Works engine number 26 out for a test run on the tracks. Did you know that Steamtown's locomotives are operated by volunteers? Every year, volunteers must complete hands-on training required by the Federal Rail Authority (FRA), Northeast Operating Rules Advisory Committee (NORAC), & National Park Service (NPS) Big Boy returns to Display large black train stationed on a track to the left of a paved road Union Pacific "Big Boy" No. 4012 has returned to permanent exhibition Sparks fly A mechanic grinds metal in the Locomotive Shop causing sparks to fly towards ground. Locomotive maintenance and repairs never end. Many employees and volunteers work year-round in the Locomotive Shop to repair the engines within Steamtown's collection. Aerial view of Steamtown NHS An aerial view of Steamtown which falls within the boundaries of a mid-size city. This aerial overview of Steamtown NHS, which was created within the former railyards of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western "Scranton Yards" Diesel No. 514 pulling the "Big Boy" black train with yellow horizontal stripes and the number 514 pulling a larger black train on tracks "Big Boy" No. 4012 is pulled along the tracks 2016 Recipients: George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service Learn the invaluable contributions of the 2016 Hartzog winners, celebrating excellence in volunteerism. Group of school kids pointing at things in a marsh area Scranton’s World War I Doughboy Statue is Centerpiece for World War I Centennial Commemoration at Steamtown National Historic Site Steamtown National Historic Site kicked off its centennial commemoration of America’s participation in the First World War with a June 14 Flag Day rededication of Scranton’s World War I “Doughboy” statue. The statue, originally dedicated in Scranton’s Duffy Park in 1940 by Rabiega-Gorgol Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post No. 3451, had been placed in storage due to ongoing construction of a new bridge on Harrison Avenue. WWII military reeanctors with doughboy statue in the background. National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map Staff Highlight: Flor Blum We’d like you to meet Flor Blum, a Park Ranger in Interpretation here at Steamtown National Historic Site. // Estamos continuamos a celebrar la Semana de los Conservacionistas Latinos, y nos gustaría que conocieras a Flor Blum, un guardaparques en interpretación. Two images side by side depicting Ranger Flor on duty at Steamtown NHS Staff Highlight: Carlos Angeles As we wrap up Latino Conservation week at Steamtown NHS, we'd like to introduce one more member of our Steam Team. Meet Carlos Angeles, a Navy veteran turned maintenance employee at Steamtown National Historic Site. // Estamos terminando con la Semana de la de los Conservacionistas Latinos, y nos gustaría presentar a un miembro más de nuestro equipo. Conozca a Carlos Ángeles, un veterano de la Navy convertido en empleado de mantenimiento en el Steamtown National Historic Site Side by side photo of Carlos Angeles working at Steamtown NHS. Lori Staely: Park Guide, Steamtown National Historic Site Lori Staely is a longtime employee of Steamtown NHS and was the first female fireman and engineer to operate steam locomotives at our site. Now a Park Guide, Lori continues to share her passion for trains and educates visitors with firsthand knowledge of how a steam locomotive works. Recently we sat down with Lori to ask her about her career as a fireman and engineer. Portrait of Lori in a black and gold conductor's uniform Steamtown NHS National Park Week 2023 Steamtown NHS kicks off National Park Week on Saturday, April 22, with cab tours of the Union Pacific "Big Boy," ranger-guided programs, and locomotive shop tours. colorful graphic of a ranger hat on a book with text reading your park story national park week

The romantic image that steam railroading evokes is reflected in George Inness’s painting entitled “The Lackawanna Val­ ley “ (above), showing Scranton and the Dela­ ware, Lackawanna and Western railroad yard in IKS 5. Right: a 1920rail pass and the corporate seal of the Leggett's Gap Railroad, a forerunner ofthe DL&W. Note the original spelling of the rail line's name. /k Steamtown, engineers not only help to maintain their engines in top condi­ tion, hut demonstrate for visitors the knowledge and skill it took to operate a steam locomotive. Welcome to Steamtown You are about to experience a part of American railroading that hasn't existed for nearly half a century—the era of the steam locomotive. Steamtown National Historic Site was established on October 30.1986, to further pub­ lic understanding and apprecia­ tion of the role steam railroading played in the development of the United States. It is the only place in the National Park System where the story of steam rail­ roading, and the people who made it possible, is told. Steamtown occupies about 40 acres of the Scranton railroad yard of the Delaware, Lackawan­ na and Western Railroad, one of the earliest rail lines in northeast­ ern Pennsylvania. At the heart of the park is the large collection of standard-gauge steam locomo­ tives and freight and passenger cars that New England seafood processor F. Nelson Blount assem­ bled in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1984, 17 years after Blount's un timely death, the Steamtown Foundation for the Preservation of Steam and Railroad Americana, Inc., brought the collection to Scranton, where it occupied the former DL&W yard. When Steam­ town National Historic Site was created, the yard and the collec­ tion became part of the National Park System. The Steamtown Collection con­ sists of locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, and maintenanceof-way equipment from several historic railroads. The locomo­ tives range in size from a tiny in­ dustrial switcher engine built in 1937 by the H.K. Porter Company for the Bullard Company, to a huge Union Pacific Big Boy built in 1941 by the American Locomo­ tive Company (Alco). The oldest locomotive is a freight engine built by Alco in 1903 for the Chi­ cago Union Transfer Railway Company. Steamtown National Historic Site preserves and interprets the lega­ cy of steam-era railroading. Expe­ rience this era through tours of the railroad yards and the build­ ings. Ride in a restored railroad car or caboose. Watch Living His­ tory characters depict life in the era of steam. Lectures in the the­ ater and the film Steel and Steam highlight related subjects and provide glimpses into railroading's past. We encourage you to explore and contemplate the site at your leisure. A conductor and his passengers, 1930s. The park includes the following points of interest, keyed to the il­ lustration above. Other points are labeled on the illustration. 1 Visitor Center Begin your visit here for orientation to the park, its facilities, and its attractions. 2 History Museum Exhibits here highlight the people and the his­ tory of steam railroading in the United States and include displays on early railroads, life on the rail­ road, and the relationship be­ tween the railroad and labor, busi­ ness, and government. A timeline presents key moments in the his­ tory of railroading and the DL&W from the early 19th to the mid20th century. 3 Roundhouse This remaining portion of the 1902/1937 round­ house has been rehabilitated and is used to store, maintain, and dis­ play engines from the Steamtown collection. A raised walkway af­ fords opportunities to view work in progress on the locomotives. 4 Turntable This 90-foot-long turntable, used for turning en­ gines toward the roundhouse, is the type used here after 1900. 5 1902 Roundhouse Section This three-bay portion remains from the second roundhouse, built on this site in 1902. 6 Technology Museum This muse­ um offers a look at the technolog­ ical changes and advances in rail­ roads through the years. Included are exhibits on steam locomotive design, railroad architecture, track design and engineering, signals, communications, and railroad safety. A model of the DL&W’s Scranton yard is located on the second floor. Tours and Excursions Park rang­ ers offer tours of the site, round­ house, and locomotive repair shops. On certain days, rail excur­ sions are offered, including a main line train ride to one of several destinations. Check at the visitor center for schedules. Fees are charged for visiting the site, excur­ sions, and certain other programs. For Your Safety Remember, Steamtown is a working railroad site, so please be careful. Look out for moving trains and other vehicles at all times. Avoid stepping on the rails and do not climb on the locomotives or cars. For More information Steamtown National Historic Site 150 South Washington Avenue Scranton, PA 18503-2018 888-693-9391 www.nps.gov/stea Visit the National Park Service website at www.nps.go